Cigarette snuffer



Dec. 20, 1960 M. L. LEHV CIGARETTE SNUFFER Filed March 18, 4 1958 R m m V W United States Patent CIGARETTE SNUFFER Maurice L. Lehv, 1585 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn 10, NY. Filed Mar. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 722,164

1 Claim. (Cl. 131-256) This invention relates to smoking apparatus and, more particularly, to a device for extinguishing cigarettes.

Ordinarily, it is necessary to step upon or otherwise crush an ignited cigarette before it can be completely extinguished. This is not only untidy, sometimes difiicult, and unsafe, but also often causes unpleasant odors and burned fingers. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a snuifer for extinguishing ignited cigarettes that is extremely simple in construction, and which will overcome the aforementioned difficulties.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cigarette snuifer for application to cigarettes as they are packaged so that they are constantly available for use with each cigarette as it is consumed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cigarette snuifer of the type described that can either be packaged with the cigarette or applied at a later time when it is desired to extinguish the cigarette, such snuffer being capable of being produced in large quantities at a relatively low cost so as to be disposable with the extinguished cigarette, or which may be manufactured of more expensive materials for selective use with each cigarette to be extinguished, following which it can be retained for future use.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a package of cigarettes embodying cigarette snuffers made in accordance with one form of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a cigarette taken from the pack shown in Figure 1, in operative use;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the snuffer shown in Figures 1 to 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of construction;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a still further modified form of construction; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view similar to Figure 6, showing a still further modified form of construction.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 4 thereof, a package 10 of cigarettes 12 embodying a snufier 15 made in accordance with one form of the present invention is shown in which each cigarette is provided with its own disposable snuifer. As is more clearly shown in Figures 2 to 4 of the drawing, each such snufier 15 is in the form of a sleeve 16 that is constructed from a rectangular sheet of metallic or other heat resistant foil with the ends thereof defining terminal webs 18 that provide a tab for effecting longitudinal movement of the sleeve upon the cigarette 12.

In actual use, the snuffer 15 is assembled with the cigarette during the manufacture or packaging of such cigarettes, whereby each such cigarette is provided with its own disposable snuffer, as shown in Figure 1. In the normal position, the tab defined by the terminal webs 18 i is folded back upon the side of the sleeve in tangential relationship therewith. However, as soon as it is desired to extinguish the ignited end 19 of the cigarette 12, it is only necessary to pull the tab so formed by the Webs 18 downwardly to a radially extending position 18a, whereby the sleeve can be moved longitudinally over the ignited end of the cigarette. In the adjusted position 15a, shown in Figure 3, the ignited end of the cigarette will be extinguished in approximately eight seconds, in the complete absence of any unpleasant odors, sparks, or ashes. After the cigarette has been extinguished, it can be disposed of in any convenient manner.

In Figure 5 of the drawing, a slightly modified form of construction 2%) is shown wherein the snuffer includes a circular sleeve 22 that is formed from a rectangular sheet of material with at least one end thereof extending tangentially along the outside surface of the sleeve. This end defines a web 23 that has a pair of longitudinally spaced apart and transversely extending score lines 25 that defines a central tab 26. In actual use, this snuifer 2th is applied to the cigarettes in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described in connection with the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawing, with the tab 26 in the tangential folded position. However, when it is desired to use the snuffer, it is only necessary to turn the tab 26 outwardly to the open position 26a for permitting longitudinal movement of the sleeve.

In Figure 6 of the drawing, a more permanent form of snufi'er 30 is shown to include a rigid cylindrical tube 32 and a rigid radially outwardly extending tab or handle 34. This embodiment of the present invention can be constructed from precious or semi precious metals so as to be re-usable over prolonged periods of time and conveniently carried Within a pocket or purse.

With particular reference now to Figure 7 of the drawing, a still further modified form of construction 40 is shown to include a tubular sleeve constructed from a rectangular sheet of heat resistant material. The tubular sleeve is formed by rolling the rectangular sheet, and securing the opposite ends 41, 42, together in any suitable manner, along a common junction surface 43. In this arrangement, the sleeve is similarly slidable along the length of the cigarette for the purpose of extinguishing the cigarette in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described.

In each of the aforementioned embodiments, the respective tabs or handles will remain cool during use of the snuffer, the heat thereof being conducted through the rather large and eflicient surfaces of the sleeve.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that suchis not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claim appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A cigarette snuffer, including the combination of a hollow cylindrical sleeve having an inside diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of a cigarette and comprising a rectangular sheet of web material having a pair of oppositely extending longitudinal ends, a radially outwardly projecting pull tab of limited length with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve nor mally lying in a plane common to said axis for effecting longitudinal sliding movement of the sleeve along a cigarette, said opposite longitudinal ends of said rectangular sheet being secured together to define a tubular member having one end overlapping the other and with a pair of spaced apart transverse score lines thereon defining the length of the pull tab centrally intermediate the length of said sleeve, said pull tab being integral with and forming part of the overlapping longitudinal end of 882,117

said rectangular sheet and foldable between a normally 2,134,213

tangential relationship with said sleeve and an adjusted 2,335,432 radially projecting position with respect thereto.

5 References Cited in the file of this patent 22 321 UNITED STATES PATENTS 91,199

598,028 Smith et al. Ian. 25, 1898 4 McElhone Mar. 17, 1908 Skidrnore Oct. 25, 1938 Millett Nov. 30, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain 1891 Germany- 1896 

